The present invention pertains generally to sign construction particularly suited for temporary installation on a vehicle to advise of the need for assistance.
Useful to motorists who have experienced an emergency situation such as a mechanical malfunction, flat tire or being out of gas, are signs temporarily attachable to the vehicle to apprise others of the problem with a view toward assistance. U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,820, issued to the present inventor, was directed toward such an objective.
Prior patents are noted which have this objective in common, which patents include, in addition to the above noted patent,
U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,746 shows a banner with sleeves at its ends each having a stiffener to the ends of which a chain is attached. U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,272 shows hingedly attached composite sign panels. U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,503 shows a banner with corner attached elastic cords. U.S. Pat. No. 3,701,210 shows a panel with margin located sleeves through which straps pass for vehicular attachment.
Such signs must be adaptable to a wide range of vehicle sizes and be attachable to the vehicle in a secure manner to remain in place even when acted on by wind gusts resulting from passing vehicles. With regard to being attachable to a wide range of vehicles, this requirement is complicated by reason of the fact that contemporary automotive designs often do not provide adequate trunk lid clearances for the insertion of clips, plates, hooks, etc., on the reception of same between bumpers and car bodies as open areas therebetween do not exist or clearance therebetween does not permit insertion of an anchoring element. Still further, the wide range of current automobile sizes greatly complicates the task of providing an emergency or distress sign adaptable to all vehicles.
Important to such distress signs are the criteria of being readily attachable to a stranded vehicle without unduly exposing the stranded motorist to passing vehicles and the mounting of such a sign in a manner to withstand sudden wind gusts from passing traffic.